Plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed malaria parasite and a major public health burden. Recent studies suggest that the majority of parasites is present outside of circulation, making it difficult to track and target them. We have demonstrated that bone marrow in particular represents an under-appreciated reservoir which supports P. vivax growth and differentiation to transmission stages. Parallel studies have also reported major parasite accumulation in the spleen. Based on these findings we hypothesize that the haematopoietic niche of bone marrow and spleen represents the main parasite reservoir during infection and drives disease severity. In this ambitious research program, we will analyze infected bone marrow and spleen tissue from a series of cohorts of naturally exposed patients in endemic areas in Brazil. We will perform histological, molecular and phenotypic characterization of sequestered and circulating parasite and host cell populations to systematically investigate and quantify the role of bone marrow and spleen for parasite infection, transmission, diagnosis and pathology. This work will thus contribute much needed insights and critical tools for the ongoing global malaria elimination campaign.

This project will bring together groups from the UK and Brazil who are working on different aspects of heat and drought stress, pollen development and mitochondrial function in wheat to address the molecular genetic and physiological events occurring during reproductive heat and drought stress. This will enable development of germplasm with enhanced resilience to environmental stress during flowering. University of Nottingham(UoN) -Prof ZA Wilson: Reproductive development and male fertility in wheat. Expertise in the molecular regulation of pollen development and translation of gene networks from models, to crops. This has identified conserved transcription factors, which are being explored as tools to control crop fertility for hybrid breeding. Investigation of flowering adaptations in wheat associated with flowering time, stamen structure and anther dehiscence. The impact of temperature stress of pollen development, with the target of identifying traits for resilience during temperature stress. -Prof I King & Dr J King: Ancestral Introgression Programme to transfer genetic variation into wheat from its distant relatives, by transferring the entire genome of a range of species, e.g. Secale cereale, Aegilops speltoides, Ambylopyrum muticum, Triticum urartu, Thinopyrum bessarabicum, Th. elongatum, Th. intermedium, Th. ponticum, T. timopheevii, into wheat in small overlapping chromosome segments. While still at a preliminary stage derivatives carrying introgressions from this programme are already under study for a wide range of traits, e.g. tolerance to abiotic stress, chemical composition, morphological traits. -Assoc Prof J Foulkes: Resource-use efficiency in wheat: Expertise in wheat physiology- focusing on ear fertility and resource-use efficiency. Includes (i) physiological and genetic basis of ear fertility; thresholds for assimilate partitioning to the ear and alternative sinks. Novel ear-fertility genes related to increased efficiency of tillering, spikelet primordia number and floret fertility (ii) physiological and genetic basis of N-use efficiency and (iii) water-use efficiency. Brazilian Researchers - Universidade Estadual de Campinas Expertise in Molecular Genetic manipulation of Mitochondria. Paulo Arruda - (PI) Molecular biology, genetics, genomics, Natalia Verza - (post-doc) Molecular biology, metabolic engeneering Pedro Barreto - (pos-doc) Molecular Biology, genomics, mitochondrial metabolism Juliana Yassitepe - (Embrapa researcher) Genetics Geraldo Cançado - (Embrapa researcher) Transgenic approaches. Infrastructure:- Biosciences, UoN has excellent research facilities, including purpose built molecular labs, imaging facilities with state-of-the art Micro-CT Imaging Facility, Controlled Environment facilities; the research environment is conducive to cutting-edge research, in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment. ZAW is part of the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (CPIB), a major international centre to develop dynamic and multiscale models of plant development, involving data capture on dynamic hormone fluxes; cell & organ growth; gene expression, protein & metabolite profiles and tissue mechanics. CPIB will provide added support for data analysis, modeling and provide a platform for data dissemination.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Urban settlements on the coast present a complex and dynamic set of physical, social and economic issues for policy makers concerned with environmental quality and crime reduction. During 2015, the research partnership members will conduct a comparative scoping study of best practice in the governance of environmental quality and crime reduction in urban coastal communities located in the North Coast region of São Paulo State and in South Wales, UK. This will enable the Brazilian and UK partners to study specific issues, policy contexts and policy communities of both countries in respect of environmental quality and crime reduction and identify priority research topics. In both case study areas there has been rapid and significant change in economic activity leading to a convergence of urban transformation problems that are similar in nature, but are different in magnitude. From the mid-20th century, both locales have seen a rapid decline of previously thriving maritime ports serving traditional, local, production in agriculture and fishing (North Coast) and coal and steel (South Wales). Consequently, the economic base of both locations has shifted towards a combination of developments in the energy industry alongside a transition from a production to a consumption and service industries-based economy. Central to the service economy, in both UK and Brazilian locales, is an increasing dependency on tourism and leisure, and a consequent growth in the creation of new tourism spaces. Admittedly, the pace of socio-economic change is much more marked on the coast of São Paulo State than in South Wales, but the economic and social dynamics are similar in both locales. Legislation to protect the environment is enforced by the activities of a range of state agencies, private sector security agents, and voluntary groups that support the state and federal police. The complexities of such "plural policing" in both the built and rural environments, in and around urban communities, require a sophisticated and robust governance response. The governance model in respect of environmental quality in Wales offers Brazil a distinctive UK comparator. Natural Resources Wales is unique in the UK as it offers a single agency approach that seeks to manage air, land and water sustainably. In respect of crime reduction, the risk-based 'preventative turn' in criminal justice and policing has been a policy influence in attempts to reduce crime and to create safe communities in both locales. In South Wales there are mature structures of governance concerned with crime prevention and reduction. In Brazil comparator agencies include the Brazilian Institute of Environment and renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), which formulates, coordinates, supervises, manages, promotes and enforces the preservation and conservation of natural resources.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.